Women’s Final Four Guide: Top Players and UConn vs South Carolina Preview

The No. 1 overall seed UConn Huskies and the No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks will face each other in the Women’s NCAA Final Four on April 3, 2026. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix and will be broadcast on ESPN.

The winner of this matchup will advance to the national championship game on April 5, where they will play either the No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins or the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns.

UConn Pursuing Historic Undefeated Season

UConn enters the contest as the defending champion with a perfect 38-0 record. The Huskies are attempting to become the 11th undefeated national champion at the Division I level and secure their 13th national title overall.

The Huskies reached the Final Four after a 70-52 victory over Notre Dame in the Elite Eight. In that game, Sarah Strong led the team with 21 points, while Blanca Quiñónez contributed 20 points and eight rebounds coming off the bench.

Throughout the tournament, UConn has maintained a dominant pace, defeating UTSA, Syracuse, and North Carolina prior to their win over the Irish. The team has posted an average margin of victory of over 32 points during this span.

South Carolina’s Quest for Redemption

South Carolina arrives in Phoenix with a 35-3 record, marking the sixth consecutive year the Gamecocks have appeared in the Final Four. A victory on April 3 would earn them a spot in the national title game for the third straight year.

This matchup serves as a rematch of the previous year’s national championship game, which UConn won 82-59. This will be the third time in five seasons that the two programs have met during the April portions of the tournament.

The Gamecocks are relying on career-best performances from Joyce Edwards, Raven Johnson, and Tessa Johnson. The roster has been further bolstered by the additions of Agot Makeer, Ta’Niya Latson, and Madina Okot.

Strategic Keys to Victory

Analysis from USA TODAY Sports suggests that South Carolina’s path to victory depends on their ability to control the glass and execute three-point shooting. Experts also noted the importance of limiting the scoring of UConn’s Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, with some suggesting the Gamecocks must try to get Strong into foul trouble.

Conversely, UConn is expected to win if they can keep South Carolina out of the paint and neutralize the impact of Joyce Edwards and Raven Johnson. Maintaining rebounding dominance and protecting the basketball are also cited as critical factors for the Huskies.

Predictions from Bluffton Today highlight differing perspectives on the matchup. Lulu Kesin suggests South Carolina will prevail due to having more and better scoring options than they did last year. However, Tia Reid noted that UConn’s lack of challenging games during the regular season could potentially leave them ill-equipped for this high-difficulty encounter.

Kamryn Jackson emphasized that the Gamecocks will be motivated by the painful loss suffered in the previous season’s championship game, noting that a strong performance from sophomore forward Joyce Edwards will be essential.

Historical Context

The rivalry between head coaches Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley remains a focal point of the tournament. While Auriemma has led UConn to the title game 12 times, his only loss in those appearances came against Staley’s South Carolina program.

UConn has appeared in the Final Four 17 times over the last 18 tournaments and is now seeking its first streak of national titles since the period between 2013 and 2016.